I have just arrived home from seeing Lea Salonga in concert at the USLS Coliseum. I had been looking forward to the concert ever since I first heard she was performing in Bacolod and was even a little crushed when they had to postpone it. I know, postpone isn’t as bad as having it cancelled but still.

This was one concert I would have gone by myself if my aunt hadn’t gotten a ticket for herself. And it was worth all the anticipation!

The lights dimmed at quarter past 8:00 as Lea came on stage, said a quick hello to everybody and opened with I dreamed a dream from Les Miserables (as she recently played Fantine in the Broadway musical). To say that her voice is magical is such an understatement. No matter what song she sings her voice just rings so clear you can tell the words to the lyrics. The songs she performed included Love Look Away (Flower Drum Song), Reflections (Mulan), Ikaw, A Whole New World (Aladdin; duet with Jed Mandela), On my Own (Les Miserables), I’d give my Life for You (Miss Saigon), The Journey, Promise me You’ll Wait for Me, I do (from her Wedding) and some Filipino songs. She ended her set with Tomorrow from Annie. Her encore performance included one of her hits Bakit Labis Kitang Mahal and a jazz-ed up version of Balut! Penoy!.

Her guest, Jed Mandela performed songs from Phantom of the Opera and another from his album. By the gods! that guy can sing! He had me enthralled!

Need I say how much I enjoyed that concert? I don’t think I can say anything negative about the whole thing. I honestly forgive the fact that the show started late because it was that good.

Gosh, what I would give to have seen her in Les Mis or Miss Saigon … but I shall be content with what I heard and saw tonight.

Fantastic concert Lea. Truly fantastic!